A Baby, A centaur, and A Discovery
by Siti Marie
Summary: Maria and I have gotton together to write this adventure filled fic for you, please stay a while and read it!
1. A Baby, A centaur, and A Discovery

  
  
Hi! I was having trouble with my computer, so this did not get up loaded when Maria's copy did. This is only the first part of what will most likely be a very large fic. I hope you like it! Oh, and while you are at it,read mine and Maria's other stories!( well, other story for me!)  
  
Now to end my pointless blabber, I'll blabber some more with this nessary part of mine and Maria's story, the disclaimer!  
  
All characters you have heard of before are JKs, Astrid belongs to me, and The Girl belongs to Maria. I am not making any money off this, and the only things you'll get be sueing is a battered computer, and this months college tuition!  
  
Oh, and COMMENT!!!!!!!! We want to hear what you have to say. Oh, and don't just tell us our grammar and spelling suck. We know, you don't have to tell us.  
COMMENT!!!!!!!!!!  
  
-Siti Marie  
  
  
  
  
The Deranged Centaur Girl  
  
  
It was a dark night, and not a star could be seen and through the dark forest ran a young women her baby clutched to her chest. The baby wailed as they ran stumbling but never stopping. Not far behind them you could hear approaching footsteps. "We're almost out of the forest, darling." The women whispered to her newborn daughter. The baby stopped crying as if realizing how vital it was to remain quiet. She tripped and fell; her baby lay not far from her. She tried and couldn't get up, she reached her hand and pulled the baby by the blankets and hid it not far from her behind a bush. The footsteps were now closer then ever...  
  
It was morning in the forest and all was calm and peaceful, the birds chirped and leafs crackled under the centaurs hooves. He heard cooing and wandered towards the bush there lay a little baby girl. Not far from her lay her dead mother. *  
  
  
***  
  
thirteen years pass  
  
***  
  
"Shhhh! We'll get caught if you don't SHUT UP Goyle!" Draco Malfoy hisses at his "friend". The two, and another friend, Crabbe were sneaking into Madam Hooch's office to steal a very important ball. The Golden Snitch.  
  
Crash!!! A quill holder smashed as it hit the ground.  
  
"Crabbe!" Malfoy screamed, dispensing with all thought of secrecy as he planted his evidence and ran from the office with the Golden Snitch.  
  
***  
  
Harry Potter reached to his pocket for his wand, and was horrified to find, it wasn't there! He checked the other pockets, and then he got worried. "Guys? Have you seen my wand?"   
  
Ron Weasley said," No, the last time I saw it was when Goyle crashed into you and Malfoy helped him up- wait a second! Why would he do that? Harry, I bet Malfoy snagged your wand!"   
  
"Harry! Harry Potter!" a voice yelled from behind him. "Does THIS look familiar?" Professor Snape shoved Harry's wand under his nose.  
  
"Hey!" Harry yelped.  
  
"Alright Potter! Where is the Snitch! I know you stole it out of Madam Hooch's office and if it isn't in my hands at Potions class tomorrow I'll take so many points off your house that you will have to regain them to get up to zero!" Snape screamed into Harry's face.  
  
"The Snitch? What are you talking about?" Harry stammered.  
  
Snape just whirled and vanished into a doorway.  
  
" Man! How am I supposed to get back a Snitch I don't have?" Harry moaned.  
  
"Go tell Dumbledore! He'll believe you." Hermione suggested.  
  
"That won't work. Dumbledore is off on family business." Harry mumbled.  
  
"Go talk to Malfoy." Hermione stated calmly, as if she were talking about that nights dinner.  
  
Ron and Harry just stared at her.  
  
"What? Harry! Go do it." Hermione told him.  
  
***  
  
Malfoy practically danced around on the grounds outside the castle, he was getting some funny looks from some other Slytherins, but who cared at the moment? He was going to knock Gryfinndor out of the running for the House cup. As he stopped, he realized that Crabbe and Goyle were gone, probably lost or something considering their intelligence. In the corner of his eye he noticed Potter walking towards him and he just patted his pocket knowing that Potter couldn't do a thing.  
  
"Where is it?!" Harry demanded.  
  
"What?" said Malfoy in the most innocent voice he could manage.  
  
"The Golden Snitch. I know you have it and seeing as though your 'friends' aren't here, I'm taking it back!" Potter yelled.  
  
"Touchy, touchy! All right I've got it right here." Malfoy said in a tone that promoted a feeling of finger nails on a black board. He pulled the ever struggling Snitch out of his pocket.  
  
The snitch suddenly broke free. Potter tried to dive for it but Mayfoy was in his way staring dumbly at the retreating golden ball.  
  
***  
  
Harry ran after it, but without a broom it was useless. All he could do was watch as the Snitch vanished behind the trees of the Enchanted Forest.  
  
For Harry knew with growing certainly, that he would have to go in after it. He decided to go now. When there was light to see by.  
  
Just then Ginny ran up. "Harry! Dinner is in a few minutes! Come on!" Harry reluctantly let himself be dragged into the caslt, not wanting to drag Ginny into all this.  
  
***  
  
As Harry waited for Ron to fall asleep, he thought again on his decision to leave him and Hermione behind. It was pointless to get them involved too. He was probably only going to get himself expelled. He remembered his earlier talk with Hermione.  
  
***  
  
"Harry! let us help you! We are your friends. Do you think we will let you just get yourself expelled?" she had begged.  
  
It had taken alit to make her agree not to tell Ron. Bur she hadn't said she wouldn't do anything herself.  
  
***  
  
Harry waited until Ron was soundly asleep in his four poster bed to slip out of the common room hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak and his broom clutched tightly in his hand. As he sneaked through the darkness he saw Hermione asleep in one of the cushy armchairs, probably waiting up to prevent him from going. He walked in the shadows through the still school. It was so quiet that he could hear himself breathing as he slipped out of the school and outside. The night was somber and windy as Harry ran into the forest. He got out his wand and whispered "Lumos."   
  
The trees cast weird shadows as he proceeded deeper and deeper through the wild and eerie forest. He thought he saw a glimpse of gold far ahead and followed in that direction, the scenery became strangely familiar. He gasped when he saw millions of spiders all going in the same direction. He felt a sudden jolt of fear spreading through his body, even beneath his Invisibility Cloak the spiders could smell him. His heart beat even faster when he felt something on his back and the next second the cloak fell away. Panic-stricken he dropped his wand, he's heart jumped in his throat and he lay motionless surrounded by giant spiders.   
  
Harry felt something warm on his skin and he squinted as rays of sunshine fell on his eyes. He opened them carefully afraid of what he might see. Everything was blurred but he established that it was morning and he was still in the forest and that someone was staring down at him.   
  
He saw a pair of sapphire eyes upon a fair face and accompanied by ash blonde hair that's exactly how he saw the creature, one detail at a time. He's head hurt tremendously and everything was going in slow motion but the creature was a human female and to add to that devastatingly beautiful. Yet she looked like she lived in the forest her entire life; her face and hair dirty, her clothes were an amazing contraption made out of leafs and would hardly be called proper attire. The girl brushed away Harry's hair then like electrified she jumped back and disappeared through the thick set of trees. Harry lay there replaying the blurred image of the girl. Was she real or was he delirious? More importantly how did he escape from the spiders?   
  
As the sun started to set Harry granted and slowly got to his knees. There before him lay a cup made out of leafs containing water and there beside it in hollow wooden bark was a thick white mixture. Harry touched the place where he's head was throbbing and on his fingers was blood and the mixture. Did the girl try to cure him? It was too much, he lifted himself onto his feet and slowly, stumbling along the way, he walked to the castle.   
  
Just when he thought he might collapse again he wondered out of the forest and there before him lay Hogwarts. He groaned in disbelief when he saw Professor Snape waiting for him in the Great Hall. "Did you find the Snitch, Potter?" Snape asked a great smirk upon his face.   
  
The Snitch! Harry completely forgot about it and now it was too late. "No, sir," he said meekly.   
  
Snape couldn't contain his joy at actually finding something to suspend Harry for. "It's my displeasure to tell you that from further on you're here by suspended from Hogwarts until further notice. You may go and pack your bags."   
  
Harry felt something inside his pocket, he reached in and pulled out the Golden Snitch and handed it to the now shacking hand of Snape. "Well, you won't be suspended but all of Gryffindor's points will be removed. Maybe you should head on to the Hospital Wing now you seem to be bleeding. And, oh yes, Potter, I'm very disappointed in you," Snape said shacking his long thin finger at Harry before vanishing to the dungeons.   
  
***  
  
Albus Dumbledore flew a few times around the town where his sister Harriet had lived, where he thought she still did. HE dropped in front of her house an d walked up to the door.  
  
DING DONG  
  
"Hello?" A young man answered.  
  
"I'm looking for a woman named Astrid Dumbledore. Does she live here?" Dumbledore asked, wondering if he was looking at his brother in law. No, it would have to be his nephew if they were related at all.  
  
"Astrid? That is the name of the woman who used to live here. I think her last name was... cripes. I can't remember." he scratched his head, " Oh yeah, her name was Astrid Malfoy."  
  
***  
Harry ventured into the relatively clear Hospital Wing. "Goodness boy! What happened to you? Harry Harry! Oh great goodness he passed out. Must have lost too much blood. Got get him to bed." Madame Pomfrey preformed a simple weightlessness charm on Harry and transported him to bed.   
  
Harry came around to see Hermione sitting on the edge of his bed. She had an I-told-you-so look on her face but Harry chose to ignore it. "Harry, thank goodness. When I heard you were in the Hospital Wing! Well I knew you didn't listen to me."  
  
" Is everybody pissed at me?" Harry asked cautiously. " No, no. Mc Gonagall didn't let take away all the points," Hermione said in a reassuring voice.  
  
"Good. Where's Ron?" Harry asked, looking around the Wing, still slightly dazed. "He's watching Ginny try out for the Quidditch team. Today is the day, you know. I'm meeting him there later," was Hermione's reply.  
  
Harry eyed her curiously. "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better Harry." She gave him a hug and got up from his bed. As she was living he noticed that she had put her hair up and was wearing something that looked suspiciously like make up, only it couldn't be 'cause Hermione never wears make up.   
  
Harry shook his head. He couldn't believe he was missing the Quidditch tryouts. It would've been amusing watching Ginny fly a broom.  
  
Speaking of Ginny, she was the next person to visit Harry. She had a looked ecstatic, and she had an amazing glow about her. Something that Harry had never noticed before. "Harry! You'll never guess what happened! The two of the best things happened to me today! First of all I made the Quidditch team! Secondly, I got a date!"   
  
Harry was completely blown away by both things and felt a kind of jolt when he heard the second one. "Congrats! With whom?" He managed to say.  
  
"With Seamus Finnigan. I'm so happy!" She twirled in circles, until dazed and set down on Harry's bed. It was one of those moments, the sun shone at a perfect angle the birds where chirping outside and the Singing Dandelions where being repotted in Herbeology. He saw Ginny at a whole different level, not as a little girl, but as a beautiful young woman. He gazed at her then he remembered that she was with Seamus now. He felt a new kind of pain, not the one he was feeling in his head but the one in he's heart. Suddenly Ginny got up, told Harry to get better and left the room.  
  
***  
After having stared dumbly at the man in the door, he shook his head violently and left. 'oh Fudge is going to hear about this one!' And with that Dumbledore took off for the Ministry of magic.  
  
After pushing the old broom to it's limits he finally came to the Magic Ministry building, he tucked his broom under his arm and went inside.   
  
He walked up to the main desk and demanded to see Fudge immediately. The secretary complied, not wanting to end up a toad and called Cornelious Fudge, Minister of Magic.  
  
"Fudge! Why didn't you tell me! My own sister!" He roared, having found an outlet for his anguish and anger.  
  
"Astrid? You mean her unusual marriage? Or the fact that she died thirteen years ago?" Fudge stammered.  
  
" She died!? How!? Why was I not told any of this?" Dumbledore yelled.  
  
" You weren't on the nicest terms with her before she died, so it was not deemed necessary that you know. Shall we go into my office?" Fudge asked, still a little uneasy about being with the maddest wizard in England.  
  
They walked into Fudge's office and after being convinced to sit down, Dumbledore hit Fudge with a new barrage of questions.  
  
"did they have any children? Is Draco Malfoy my nephew?" Dumbledore asked calming down. "How did she die?"  
  
"Well, the major suspect at the time was Voldemort. But evidence showed that she ran for a quite large distance before being killed. Another suspect was Malfoy himself. As to the answer to your first question, they had twins. Draco, and a girl who didn't yet have a name. The girl disappeared around the same time her mother died. Many thought that Lucius killed the baby." Fudge answered.  
  
"Where did she die?" he whispered, almost afraid of the answer.  
  
"The Forbidden Forest." Fudge answered solemnly.   
***  
She too had had the moment. It was most un(yes or no?)fortunate for her to meet Fred and George on her way.   
  
"We heard you got a date with Seamus. Way to go Ginny! Too bad for Potter, he finally started to come around," George said, as both of them did there best not to crack up at the expression Ginny's face.   
  
"Really?" She asked holding her breath. "Yes, well it's too late now. Poor Potter," Fred replied and they sniggering once Ginny was out of earshot.   
  
She ran back to the Hospital Wing and rashes in. "I know how you feel about me Harry and I feel the same way. I don't really like Seamus, it's you I like."   
  
Harry stared at her, how could she have found out so quickly? He had just found out himself. Yet, he took her hand in to his and they sat there for awhile just staring into each other's eyes, until Madame Pomfrey shoed Ginny out. Only one thing diminuend his happiness, the blurred memory of the girl with the sapphire eyes.   
  
***  
  
  
As Dumbledore left the Ministry of Magic he thought about what to do next. The last bit of his family was gone.   
  
Dumbledore decided to go talk to Lucius Malfoy. Right now. Oh, he hadn't been on the best of terms with his sister, but what had compelled her to marry Malfoy? Could it have been to spite him? He hoped not. Because then if the one who killed her was Malfoy, it was partly his fault.  
  
Then with out warning he was in the wizarding village in Scotland where Malfoy lives. He didn't even bother to ring the door bell as he entered the mansion.   
  
Dumbledore yelled as he entered the mansion," Malfoy! Get down here! This is Dumbledore and we are going to have a little talk about my sister!"   
  
Malfoy walked, elegantly composed, down the stairs. As he reached the bottom he said calmly, with a voice dripping with remorse," You mean my dear late wife Astrid?What a shame she was killed with our baby girl. Near Hogwarts too I'm told."  
  
" I also heard that you were a major suspect in the investigation! What ever compelled you to marry my younger sister? At school you hated each other!" Dumbledore shouted, the tone of his voice getting louder with every word until he was screaming in   
Malfoy's face. " You not only married my sister without even telling me, But you also never told me that I had a niece and nephew, that I still have a nephew!"   
  
" It was not deemed necessary that you know. In her opinion, you didn't exist. Now please, leave my home." Malfoy said and pointed to the door.  
  
At that Dumbledore left, but not without becoming even more certain that Malfoy was the one who killed his sister. He now was sure of it.   
  
And he'd prove it too.  
  
***  
  
Hours after everybody had gone to bed two voices could still be heard in the Gryffindor common room. "Hermione, you're the only person I could talk to about this. When I was in the forest last night I followed a glint of gold and then I came across the same giant spiders that we saw in the second year and I guess I was so terrified I passed out" Harry whispered cautiously looking around making sure nobody else was listening.   
  
"What giant spiders? I don't remember coming across any giant spiders in the forest, during our second year here," Hermione interrupted.   
  
"That's because this was when you were petrified and lying in the Hospital Wing," Harry replied getting slightly impatient.   
  
"Oh" Hermione became thoughtful for a minute and then said, "continue."   
  
"Well, when I came around I saw this beautiful girl but then she got startled and ran. I just can't get her out of my mind!" Harry finished, frustrated with himself.   
  
"Harry, you must've hit your head hard and were delirious. I mean what would a girl be doing in the forest, Harry? My advice is to forget about this nonsense and focus on Ginny, she told me all about 'the moment'," Hermione grinned and yawned.   
  
"ButI guess you're right. Goodnight, Herm," Harry replied sleepily as he slowly headed towards the boys dorm.   
  
"Goodnight, Harry."   
  
***  
  
Harry removed his glasses and lay beneath the covers of his four posters, but he couldn't sleep. There was a rustling sound outside.   
  
Harry got out of bed, put on his glasses and cautiously moved towards the window; he gazed down and saw the girl with the sapphire eyes staring back up at him. He pinched himself to make sure it wasn't a dream and it wasn't. The girl climbs the tree below the window, like she had done it a million times before and they were standing face to face.  
  
In the back of the room Neville rolled on to his other side and when Harry brings his eyes back, she was gone. The wind blew through his hair and he looked at the wild forest hoping to catch a glimpse of her. He should've looked so far, because when he removed his glasses and lay back into his bed the girl was right below his window. And later when he was asleep, she climbed the tree once again and watched him sleep until the sunrise, when she disappeared into the forest.   
  
***  
  
Dumbledore flew up in the clouds, now that day had come it was dangerous to ride low to the ground. Finally, after what seemed years, though he knew that it had only been a few hours, the spires of Hogwarts came into view. Dumbledore turned from the bright sight of Hogwarts a and flew towards the Forbidden Forest, it was dark, as it always was, day or night.  
  
HE touched ground and walked towards the forest, wondering what he expected to find after thirteen years. He decided top talk to Bane, the centaur. Maybe he had seen something in the stars that night thirteen years ago.  
  
Dumbledore whispered, "Lumos," but he was so scatter brained at the moment and wondering what he was going to do that it turned out "lubarb." instead of a steady beam of light, be found himself holding a stalk of rhubarb.  
  
After a hour of searching, Dumbledore found Bane. As always, the centaur knew that Dumbledore was there far before Dumbledore knew that Bane was there.  
  
"Hello Albus. I'm sorry, but the question you have come to ask me cannot be answered. The answer is too old to be known." Bane said, "The stars have shown me that."  
  
"You don't have an answer for me? Then I guess I'll have to look somewhere else. I will not let time stop me from finding out what happened!" Dumbledore proclaimed, but with a calmness he hadn't felt in quite a while, ah, Dumbledore is back.  
  
After Dumbledore left, another centaur came up. "Why did you not tell him?" Firenze asked. "You lied." he accused.  
  
"No Firenze. I simply said that the answer was too old to be known. And that she is. We have grown attached, she will not fit in anywhere else."  
  
"Yes, but you tear up his heart and mind by not telling him. And it isn't fair to the other either." Firenze argued.  
  
"I know. But the stars have made up their mind." Bane finished.  
  
" Have the stars made up their mind? Or have you."  
  
***  
  
There was a knock at Dumbledore's office door.  
  
"Come in." Dumbledore called  
  
Professor Mc Gonnagal walked in, " So, how did your meeting with Astrid go?" she asked conversationally.  
  
" Astrid is dead. Before she died she married Lucius Malfoy and had twins. Malfoy and a girl who was believed to have died with Astrid. I think Lucius killed her." Dumbledore said, calmly, voice not breaking. He had regained his composure after the episode with the centaurs.  
  
Mc Gonnagal just stared at him and then she blinked and sighed. "Who told you?"  
  
" Cornelious Fudge. He stammered the whole time." Dumbledore answered. " So, you knew too?" he stated, knowing the answer.  
  
" Well, yes. They never caught the killer and there were no clues. But I suppose that won't stop you from looking. Are you going to tell Draco?" Mc Gonnagol said.  
  
" Maybe. I can't stand the thought of a Slytherin in my family though. She was so sensible,and though we didn't talk very much, I didn't think of her as the kind of person who would marry Malfoy." Dumbledore answered steadily.  
  
" You would not believe what happened the other day," said Professor Mc Gonnagal trying to change the subject. Draco stole the Snitch and found a way to pin it on Harry. He managed to get Snape into it and Snape was only too happy to try to expel Harry. He told him to return the Snitch or he'd take away all Gryfinndor's points, and more. Harry of course comes in the next day a hair from being suspended, with the Golden Snitch in his pocket not knowing it was there. I have no clue how he got it, but it is clear he didn't steal it in the first place."  
  
" There is another point against my nephew, I don't suppose he was punished, Draco, I mean?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
" Of course not. Well, I have a class in ten minutes, so I must be going. I'll see you at dinner." And with that Mc Gonnagal left the office.  
  
I'm beginning to hope that Draco never finds out, the Ministry would accuse me of favoritism.  
  
***  



	2. A Traitor, A Sign, And a Message in Bloo...

A Traitor, a Warning, and a Message Written in Blood.  
  
Read part one first!!  
  
Here is the second part to mine and Maria's story, and also included, (hopefully) today is a poll on an issue that me and Maria have not been able to figure out. So we are going to let you figure it out for us. Remember, each opinion counts. And as for this story, COMMENT!!!!!!! Iven if you only say good or bad, leave something!  
  
I do not claim to own Harry Potter and all of it's characters, if you sue me the only things you'll get it an old computer and this months college tuition. Oh, and Astrid belongs to me, and The Girl is Maria's. Please don't take them without permission!  
  
Draco yawned; did McGonagall have to be so boring? She was lecturing them about stealing; occasionally sending looks at Malfoy to make sure he was listening. But he wasn't, he was staring out the window that looked down at the Forbidden Forest. How he wished he could trap Potter in the Forbidden Forest maybe in a pit or what was that he just so in the window?   
  
Were his eyes deceiving him or was there a girl running from the Forbidden Forest to the Gryffindor Tower? He rubbed his eyes and looked out again, he was now leaning on his chair to see well. He heard McGonagall call his name and he snapped back to reality and forgetting to hold on to the table fell back with the chair.   
  
The class echoed with laughter followed by McGonagall tacking off an unfair amount of points for him disrupting the class. When the class was over and it was lunch Draco was going to tell Crabbe and Goyle all about the mysterious girl, but they were stuffing their faces with pie so he decided better of it. But he was going to find out who the girl was or he was not Draco Malfoy, the only child   
  
***   
  
Harry was terribly excited; he didn't want one thing to go wrong. He was waiting for Ginny in a small area screened by trees. He had set up a picnic and arranged for music by means of lute.   
  
This was the first time he had done anything for Ginny and he wanted it to be perfect. She arrived seconds later and was delighted by his romantic surprise. It was the afternoon and everybody had gone to Hogsmeade and only Harry and Ginny remained. The sun shone and there were tons of fluffy white clouds in the forget-me-not blue sky, Harry and Ginny lay on their backs and told each other what they saw each cloud as they giggled and ate the scrumptious food that Harry, supposedly, made himself.   
  
They talked about life and the time when he saved her from Tom Riddle, what a fool she had been.   
  
They were now sitting close together and Harry pulled out a single crimson rose and Ginny leaned over and kissed him.   
  
It was a beautiful moment, but for one thing they were not the only ones present. There in the opening between the trees stood the girl with the sapphire eyes one single tear sled across her face, and she ran.   
  
And later you could hear an anguished, enraged cry coming from the Forbidden Forest.   
  
When Harry and Ginny left, the girl returned. There on the grass lay the crimson rose, as the girl picked it up one of the thorns pierced her skin, she did not take it out but snapped the head of the rose in to and let her own crimson blood stain the roses pretty petals. If one breaks a heart of a centaur girl they will pay the ultimate price   
  
She let the stem drop but clutched the rose bud tightly in her hand. "The girl with the hair as the rising sun, will die at dawn," said the girl with the sapphire eyes and took out a small dagger and placed the rose bud on the ground and dug the dagger into the ground, right into the center of the rose bud.   
  
Draco Malfoy stood awed as he saw the girl disappear into the forest   
  
***   
  
The Girl, for she had no other name walked into the forest. How could he! She had saved his life! And what does he do? Kiss another girl. She would soon be out of the picture though. For good.   
  
The Girl drew her knife and slid the blade against her thumb. What is it about this boy that draws me to him? I always hid from everyone else who came to the forest. She didn't even think that Hagrid knew she was there.   
  
She sighed. She knew all about magic. One didn't grow up among centaurs and know nothing. No indeed.   
  
As The Girl walked towards her home with her foster father, Bane, she wondered whether or not to tell him what was going on. She also decided, in that long walk, not to tell him.   
  
Bane watched the Girl carefully. Something was bothering her. She hadn't eaten much of anything and her usually chipper attitude was cloudy, and the stars had told him she was up to something. He didn't think she'd ever even talked to a human before, much less do what the stars said she would.   
  
***   
  
Rowan walked out of the woods to where the dark figure was waiting.   
  
"What have the stars said?" he asked, voice low, and threatening.   
  
" They say that the one you least want to hear of, has a daughter, and she is alive and well. Near here, in fact." Rowan paused, "She is with Bane the centaur now. No human knows she is here."   
  
"You may go. You will receive your reward when my business is done." The figure said.   
  
Rowan walked back into the forest. He had done his part. He just hoped his accomplice would do his. Lucius Malfoy dropped his hood, took out his wand, and fired a killing curse into Rowan. No risks. No witnesses.   
  
And that means you, daughter. That means you...   
  
***   
  
Harry was let out a big yawn as he dragged himself up the stairs after the exhausting Quidditch practice. Everybody had already returned to the common room. Harry was late because he was searching for the Golden Snitch after it flew off, again.   
  
Then, there before him stood the last person he wanted to see.   
  
Draco Malfoy. He had a huge grin on his face and he stood his ground as Harry tried to walk around him. "Move out of the way, Draco," Harry said his eyes flashing with anger, this was not a great time to a have a fight with Malfoy.   
  
"Oh, I will," Draco said smiling mischievously, "But I need to tell you something first," he had an I-know-something-you-don't-look on his pale face. " You're girlfriend is getting killed at sunrise, beware Potter of the girl with the sapphire eyes," he said this to Harry's ear in an arresting whisper and let out a ghostly wail before proceeding down the hall.   
  
Harry just stood there dumbfounded. Was Draco saying the truth? No, he couldn't possibly, yet he knew about the girl that haunted him in his sleep. He shook the nervous feeling that was gnawing at the back of his head. This was just probably Draco's idea of a funny joke. When he went to bed he completely forgot about the Draco's mysterious warning   
  
***   
  
Ginny shivered as the wind blew in through the open window; it was dawn. She didn't remember opening it; she shrugged it off. Ginny rose from her bed to close the window. She stood there for a while and let the wind ruffle her hair then she closed the window with a screech. Yet she still felt cold, as if somebody besides the three other peaceful girls who where still sleeping where in the room. She shivered and sat in her bed; she pulled her legs up to her chest. As the sun crept into the room, lighting each corner of the room. Then she heard it, feet hitting the floor. She took deep breaths trying not to panic but surveyed the room like an eagle. In a matter of seconds she felt somebody clutch her around the neck, she let out a blood-curling scream.   
  
"Quiet, foolish girl or this is going to hurt you more then I intend it to," the girl with the sapphire eyes whispered into Ginny's ear. She slowly pierced Ginny's supple skin. Ginny let out an anguished cry for help, and not a moment too late. By now all the third year girls were awake and cowering in their beds. Not one dared to help the whimpering Ginny.   
  
Finally, the door banged as it opened and Hermione rushed in. She was not prepared to see Ron's little sister being held down by a strange yet beautiful girl, while blood ran down her nightgown. Hermione's brain was calculating a million possibilities of what to do; she then took the stupidest route.   
  
She sprang at the stranger knocking her against the wall. The dagger rolled on the floor and lay a couple of feet away from the girl with the sapphire eyes. Hermione lunged for the dagger and seized it in her hand. By the time she turned around the attacker was gone. Ginny was shaking in the corner; she was bleeding and was ghostly pale. Hermione hugged the poor girl as she sobbed hysterically into her shoulder. As Hermione eyed the cut she gasped, there on Ginny's neck was written, "The toll has been paid, my love."   
  



	3. A Life, A Hope, And a Devilish Plot

Hi!  
  
Slams head against a few walls. Okay, I do have an explanation for not adding on in months. Many months. My co-author Maria and have stopped writing this story together, so this is the last section with her wonderful writing style in it. From now on, you'll only see me. I hope you still enjoy our story!  
  
Book 4 kinda dumped all of our theories, but still, enjoy!  
  
Went to post this and had to go through all of that dumb chaptering crap. What a waste!  
  
  
Disclaimer- Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. The Girl belongs to Maria. Astrid (The older one) belongs to Siti Marie(me!)  
  
As all that was going on, another being with killing intentions crept toward the Forbidden forest.   
  
I should have let that blasted centaur live a while longer, he thought as he thrashed his way through the weeds. Finally he saw a leaf dwelling nearby. That has to be it! Lucius Malfoy crept closer.  
  
" Where could that foolish girl be?" Bane said aloud as he saw her pallet empty late that night.  
  
Malfoy ran in, wand pointed at the centaur in the dwelling.  
  
"Where is my daughter? I know she is here!" Malfoy shouted.  
  
"There is no girl here." Bane answered.  
  
"Ah, then who were you talking to? An imaginary friend!?" Malfoy accused.  
  
But Bane held his ground. "There is no girl here! Go away and look for her somewhere else. No sane person wants to be here after dark that doesn't know it here. Go away, human man. The stars don't want you here." he declared.  
  
" The stars don't command me! Now hand her over or you will wish you did!" Malfoy threatened.  
  
But Bane would not give in.  
  
" I know she is here somewhere in this blasted forest. And I will find her." he said . Malfoy shot a low power curse at Bane. "Now will you tell me?"  
  
Bane just shook his head.  
  
Malfoy fired again, more powerful this time. "Now! Tell me!"  
  
"No! Leave my home!" Bane kicked out weakly at Malfoy and scored a glancing blow at his leg.  
  
"I will be back." Malfoy said as he limped out of the dwelling.  
  
  
  
***  
  
The Girl walked into her home and thought that she hadn't been missed, but was proved wrong when she saw Bane trying to bandage his body.  
  
"Where might I ask were you? Not that it would have been good for you to have been here, but you also should not have been gone in the first place. " Bane scolded before noticing her shredded hand. "Oh, come over here. I thought you would not do what the stars said you would. I thought you had more seance than that. Obviously I was wrong." She just turned and left the dwelling again.  
  
Oh so wrong. The stars will only know where this will lead. I sure don't.  
  
***  
  
Harry was in for a rude awakening, someone slapping him on the face. He almost screamed as he realized who the person sitting on his bed was.  
  
Just in time she placed a hand over his mouth, "Come with me," she said simply and her sapphire eyes captivated him so that he had to obey. The girl grabbed his hand and pulled him into the darkness, out of the Boys Dormitories. He thought he heard voices in the Girls and pulled in that direction but the grip of the girl just became firmer around his hand. Harry didn't notice as another figure creeped after them.   
  
He felt like a little baby being pulled by his mother while he really wanted to go to the candy shop, then again he didn't know how that felt.  
  
The girl obviously knew what she was doing and within seconds they were out Hogwarts and proceeded into the Forbidden Forrest. Harry winced as they entered the forest, it was completely dark, except for the moon casting a serene glow over the forest, giving it an eerie look. His heart started beating fast. Toughen up, a voice in his head said, you've been in here before. Then another dubious voice sounded, Well this time I have no wand and a girl who I don't even know the name of is taking me deeper and deeper into the forest.   
  
"Where are we going?" Harry managed to ask. No response  
  
***  
  
Hermione led Ginny to the infirmary. She was crying, and had every right to. Hermione hadn't told Ginny what was written on her neck, Ginny had enough problems at the moment.  
  
They entered the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey was in her room at the back.  
  
" Madam Pomfrey! Ginny got attacked!" Hermione shouted.  
  
A sleepy eyed Madam Pomfrey ran in, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She glanced at Ginny and the prepared her wand for work. Then she did a double take. "Ginny!"  
  
She ran over. A quick wave of the wand and the message was gone, but the cut was still there. Madam Pomfrey nodded at Hermione, the message wouldn't be told to Ginny, at least not right now anyway...  
  
Hermione knew there was nothing more she could do. Ginny would spend the rest of the night in the infirmary.   
  
So, Harry was right. She thought as she went down the hallway. She does exist.   
  
Suddenly, something caught her eye.  
  
Harry? But who was with him. Oh my god. She is with him. Without a second thought, she took out her wand and rubbed it against her hand. Then she began to follow the two people to the Forbidden Forest. To.....to what?  
  
***  
  
Draco dug in his things, where is it? I know I brought it!   
  
He thought again on how he'd gotten the picture of his mother. He'd never known her, and the picture was all he had. He'd found it in his fathers room when he was little, he'd asked his father who it was and he'd simply said. "That is your mother. She's dead."  
  
He'd figured that his father hadn't wanted to remember her. Sometimes he wondered who would be attracted to his father. Surely not the beautiful woman in the picture. He dug in his trunk with renewed determination, as if the picture would hold the answers to all his questions.  
  
He wondered why he was so determined to find the picture all of a sudden, he hadn't even looked at it in months. Why now? He didn't have an answer to his own thoughts.  
  
Suddenly he found it, tangled in his socks. He picked it up like it would vanish in his hands. She was so pretty...  
  
Suddenly, he knew.  
  
His mother looked so much like the girl he'd seen, how many times now? Twice?  
  
He mentally replaced her grown up figure with that of the girl he'd seen. A perfect match, but, if the girl was related to his mother, that meant, well, that meant she was related to him. But how?  
  
  
Draco got up. He'd ask Dumbledore, and if that old man tried anything to distract him, he swore he would kill him!  
  
He watched the walls go by as he walked down the halls of the dungeon. Where was Dumbledore's office anyway? He found himself in the Great Hall. He stopped and looked around. He'd never even heard of where Dumbledore's office might be.  
  
Suddenly he crashed into someone, he fell backwards and was getting an insult ready when he realized who it was.  
  
"Professor Dumbledore?" Draco asked, amazed.  
  
"Ah. Just who I was looking for. You have some questions to ask me, do you not?" Dumbledore questioned.  
  
Draco nodded dumbly, clutching the picture frame in his hand.  
  
Dumbledore led him to an empty classroom where the old professor turned around and said," Mr. Malfoy. You have questions about your family."   
  
"Yeah. I've been seeing this girl around, she's not a student, and she looks just like a picture of my mother. It is weird and I want to know who she is!" Draco half asked, half demanded.  
  
Dumbledore reached into a pocket and brought out a picture much like Draco's. "Is this your mother?"  
  
Draco nodded. Why does he have a picture of my mom?  
  
"To be straight Draco. This is my sister. She was over twenty years younger than me, and we did not get along very well. She married your father." Dumbledore stated in a calm, even voice that called for no argument.  
  
My mom was Dumbledore's sister, but, then that would make me Dumbledore's... no way...  
  
Dumbledore grinned. "I see you have figured it out...nephew." Then he frowned. Draco knew what he was thinking. What nephew of mine would be a Slytherin.  
  
"And who was the girl?" Draco asked, dismissing the thought from his mind.  
  
"You saw a girl? One that looks like your mother you said? Well call me totally crazy, but Draco Dumbledore Malfoy, I think that was your twin sister." Dumbledore announced, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
***  
  
The two walked together, side by side. Gryfinndor next to Slytherin. History in the making. And as they walked, they talked. Neither paid much attention to where they were going. So, not one or the other noticed that they were headed in a strange direction, towards the Forbidden Forest.   
  
Dumbledore looked up. Draco, we are going to see an old friend of mine. I have a hunch that tells me that your sister might be there.  
  
Huh? With who? Draco was stupefied.  
  
The centaur Bane.  
  
***  
  
Lucius Malfoy crept slowly towards the earthen dwelling where She lived. That centaur would not catch him unprepared this time. As he walked towards the dwelling, he heard voices. More than there should be. He watched as two more people came out of the bush.  
  
Malfoy hissed. Dumbledore. And the boy behind him, Draco! But how...  
  
No time for that. He must get them all. All. No risks. No witnesses.   
  
Anyway, what father would kill his own son? This one would.  
  
Lucius Malfoy yelled, "Expellimarus!"  
  
Wands flew. He counted. One. Two. Three. There should be more.  
  
***  
  
Oh no! My wand is still in Hogwarts. I can't do alot without it, Harry thought. Harry dove for Hermione's wand with that energy that only Seekers have. But there was more than one Seeker there.  
  
***  
  
"Father! What are you doing? Why didn't you tell me I have a sister? An uncle?" Draco demanded.  
  
Draco felt his whole life falling in on him. Everything he'd ever believed in was falling apart. Draco dove for his wand with newfound energy. A mother he may have once had, but this man was not his father.  
  
***  
  
Dumbledore simply called his wand to him, and looked at Malfoy through his glasses. His eyes narrowed. "Malfoy." he hissed.  
  
"Why is my son here?" Malfoy demanded.  
  
"He is my blood too, we were getting to know each other and we came to look for Draco's twin sister." Dumbledore answered.  
  
***  
  
Malfoy knew he could not stand up to Dumbledore without a major fight. He hesitated, wondering if his curse would be thrown back into his face, Dark Magic or not.  
  
It was not long, but it was long enough Draco to grab his wand and point them in his direction. Harry handed Hermione hers.  
  
But the fight was not to be now. " Later we will be alone. I will get my revenge for my sister then. But not now." and with that he performed an en-mass Appartion, The Girl included.  
  
He let out a howl that would be heard for miles around. But many would wonder, what happened to that animal? Most, would never know.   
  
In anger, he apparated away to only Voldemort knew where.  
  
***  
  
The Girl looked around. She knew what happened,she'd been transported. But, why would he bother? Who was she to him?  
  
" Alright, I want an explanation of what just happened. Now." She demanded.  
  
All the explanations came running out. After an hour, her head was spinning. She also knew now that she had not killed Ginny, and to her surprise she was glad. The girl hadn't needed to die. That would not have made Harry love her.  
  
"May I talk to Ginny? I promise I won't hurt her." She asked.  
  
Dumbledore hesitated. "Well, I guess so. But you must understand that I want to be there too, come on now, lets all go up to Gryfinndor Tower, for that's where you will spend the night my dear." happily she walked besides her uncle.  
  
"What should I call you?" She asked.  
  
"Well, I think you should call me Professor Dumbledore when with others, but otherwise, call me Uncle Albus." Dumbledore replied.  
  
***  
  
Nobody noticed Draco, still standing in the Great Hall. After a while, he turned and walked slowly down to the dungeon common room of Slytherin. To what he knew would be a sleepless night.  
  
***  
  
The Girl now walked down hallways that she had only looked at from behind closed windows, and she felt content, like she belonged here. She mustn't let things like that distract her from her goal though, she needed to convince Ginny that she wasn't going to try to hurt her again.  
  
***  
  
Ginny was sitting in the common room when suddenly there were a whole ton more people in there, and even more oddly, the headmaster was among them! Then she noticed who else was in the group...  
  
Ginny stared wide eyed at The Girl.   
  
It was her. It had to be. Unconsciously her hand traveled up to her neck and touched the spot where only hours ago there had been a gaping wound.  
  
"I'm so sorry." The Girl said sadly, like her whole life depended on what she was saying, and that she didn't expect to keep her life very long, she burst out crying..  
  
Ginny's heart broke. But she didn't let herself show it. Not yet.  
  
"Why?" Ginny asked.  
  
"I was jealous. You have a treasure, you have him. Me? I'm just a deranged centaur girl. I fell in love with the first person I really met, I'm so sorry." The Girl replied sadly, slowly.  
  
Suddenly Ginny couldn't be mad anymore, she walked over and hugged The Girl. "We'll be friends from now on. I'm sorry too." she paused," What's your name?"  
  
"I don't have one." The Girl replied, confused. "Do I need one?"  
  
"If you don't mind, I have a suggestion. How about Astrid? It was your mothers name." Dumbledore suggested.  
  
"Astrid. I like it!!" Astrid replied. She smiled, and all wondered if Astrid had ever done that before.  
  
***  
  
Time passed, and before anyone knew it, it was late, early actually, and only part of Dumbledore's story had been told. Ron had wandered in wondering where everyone was, and they'd had to start over.  
  
"So Astrid, are you going to go to Hogwarts now?" Ron asked.  
  
Astrid glanced questioningly at Dumbledore and he spoke up." I'm prepared to be Astrid's guardian, we all know we can't give her to Lucius. You can try on the sorting hat tomorrow, and we'll see where you belong.   



End file.
